Eight more than enough in Dodgers rotation

Three of the Dodgers' eight starting pitchers - from left, Ted Lilly, Zach Greinke and Chris Capuano - chat during a break in drills. A wealth of starting pitchers could force the team into some tough decisions before opening day. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

THE NEED FOR ARMS

It's a rarity for an MLB team to get through a season using only five starting pitchers. The Reds came close last year. Their five-man rotation started 161 of the 162 regular-season games.

Here is the number of starting pitchers used by each team in 2012:

6

Reds

7

Giants, Mariners

8

Angels, Yankees, Cardinals, Rays, Nationals

9

Dodgers, D'backs, Braves, Phillies, Red Sox

10

Indians, Tigers, Marlins, A's, Pirates

11

Brewers, Astros, Rangers

12

Orioles, Cubs, White Sox, Twins, Blue Jays

13

Mets, Royals

14

Rockies

15

Padres

If all of their starting pitchers stay healthy, the team will have some hard decisions to make. GM Colletti rejects the notion that you can have too many starters.

GLENDALE, Ariz. – The Dodgers have been all about big numbers this past off-season – the $2 billion purchase price of the team, the $230 million payroll, the $100 million stadium renovation, the $7-$8 billion TV deal.

For a handful of players, though, another smaller math problem has their attention. How does eight divide into five?

The Dodgers committed over $200 million to sign free-agent right-hander Zack Greinke and Korean left-hander Hyun-jin Ryu during the offseason. Combined with the midseason acquisition of Josh Beckett last year, the expected return from shoulder surgery of Ted Lilly and the continued presence of Clayton Kershaw, Chad Billingsley, Aaron Harang and Chris Capuano, the Dodgers arrived in camp with eight major-league starting pitchers – seven established veterans and Ryu, who is virtually guaranteed a spot in the rotation.

It is an embarrassment of riches at a time when many teams are hoping to identify a fifth starter, maybe a fourth as well.

GM Ned Colletti scoffs at the idea that having too many starters could ever be a problem.

"I'll tell you what is a problem – having four starters in this day and age is a problem," Colletti said. "Having three is a problem. Having two is a problem. Having one is a problem. Having none is a problem. So – it's a long, long year.

"How many teams have five starters that go all year long? It doesn't happen. It's a rarity in the game. How many have six? It's a rarity in the game."

Indeed it is. The most recent team to do it was the 2003 Seattle Mariners with Freddy Garcia, Jamie Moyer, Ryan Franklin, Gil Meche and Joel Pineiro.

Last year, five Cincinnati Reds pitchers (Johnny Cueto, Mat Latos, Homer Bailey, Bronson Arroyo and Mike Leake) started 161 of the team's 162 games. Rookie Todd Redmond had to be promoted from the minor leagues to start the second game of a doubleheader on Aug. 18. The Giants' five-man rotation (Matt Cain, Tim Lincecum, Ryan Vogelsong, Madison Bumgarner and Barry Zito) started 160 of their 162 games.

Far more common is the nine starters the Dodgers used in 2012. Twenty-two of the 30 MLB teams used at least that many last season.

"I'm telling you – I know what your guys' jobs are, I know it's great to stir stuff up," Colletti said when questioned about the Dodgers having so many starters in camp. "But we don't have to worry about if you've only got three and how are you going to get through it? Or you've got five but one is coming off shoulder surgery (Lilly) and one is trying to avoid Tommy John surgery (Billingsley)? But you've got five.

"You think I'd like to be sitting here with five with two coming off those scenarios? I don't think I'd like that."

Uncertainty over the status of Billingsley and Lilly factored into the Dodgers' decision to hold on to their surplus of starters since adding Greinke and Ryu. Their dilemma now isn't so much what to do with their eight starters as it is how to hold onto them, a dilemma that will grow as opening day approaches if Billingsley and Lilly continue to demonstrate their return to health.

Most of those teams who used nine or more starters did so by moving one or more between the minors and majors. None of the Dodgers' eight starters can be sent down (Ryu has a clause in his contract which requires the Dodgers to get his permission before sending him to the minors).

Three of the Dodgers' eight starting pitchers - from left, Ted Lilly, Zach Greinke and Chris Capuano - chat during a break in drills. A wealth of starting pitchers could force the team into some tough decisions before opening day. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LHP CLAYTON KERSHAW – One of the best pitchers in baseball, Kershaw is a true ace with one Cy Young Award on his shelf and more likely in his future. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
RHP ZACK GREINKE – The AL Cy Young Award winner in 2009, Greinke should combine with Clayton Kershaw to give the Dodgers one of the best 1-2 tandems in baseball. PAUL SANCYA, AP
RHP CHAD BILLINGSLEY – Much hinges on the health of Billingsley's elbow. So far in spring, he looks to be back to full strength. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LHP HYUN-JIN RYU – A dominant pitcher in Korea, Ryu is an unknown quantity here. No player has jumped directly from the Korean pro league to MLB. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
RHP JOSH BECKETT – Once a front-of-the-rotation starter for World Series winners in Miami and Boston, the Dodgers hope Beckett, 32, can retain some of that magic if not that responsibility. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
RHP AARON HARANG – A serviceable starter who was 10-10 with a 3.61 ERA for the Dodgers last year, Harang could be the most likely starter to get traded. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
LHP CHRIS CAPUANO – The 34-year-old left-hander could find himself in a bullpen role, biding his time as insurance in case Chad Billingsley's elbow gives out. PAUL SANCYA, AP
LHP TED LILLY – Returning from shoulder surgery in September, Lilly probably doesn't fit in the rotation and Manager Don Mattingly says he doesn't really fit in a bullpen role either. KEVIN SULLIVAN, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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